New Xbox One DRM policy will kill some features

Ding dong, the DRM witch is dead. While there's been much celebrating on Microsoft's 180-degree flip on the Xbox One's internet check-in, region blocking and used-game policy, it has come at the cost of some proposed features.

(Credit: Microsoft)

In his official statement regarding the changes, Don Mattrick, president of Microsoft's interactive entertainment business, said:

These changes will impact some of the scenarios we previously announced for Xbox One. The sharing of games will work as it does today, you will simply share the disc. Downloaded titles cannot be shared or resold. Also, similar to today, playing disc-based games will require that the disc be in the tray.

What does this mean? Well, you'll no long be able to access your whole game library from anywhere — only your digital downloads. Previously, any game you owned would have been tied to your Live account, and accessible from anywhere you logged in.

It also means the sharing library, allowing you to digitally share any of your titles with 10 people on your friends list, no matter where they are in the world, is also gone.

There's a few things we won't be able to deliver as a result of this change. One of the things we were very excited about was "wherever we go, my games are always with me". Now, of course your physical games won't show up that way. Similarly, the sharing library [is something] we won't be able to deliver at launch.

Interestingly, users will need to download a day-one patch to effect the changes on the Xbox One.

Are these features worth losing for the greater freedom on the Xbox One? Let us know in the comments below.